But because of the success he had once he got called up to the Mets, manager Terry Collins figured out a way to let the knuckle-baller get the call today against Washington.

“This winter, when I told Mike [Pelfrey] he was going to be the Opening Day starter, I kind of looked at everything and tried to figure out how it was going to get set up so R.A. could start at home,” Collins said. “He pitched so well last year that he deserved a chance to be on the big stage, be it Opening Day or the opening day at home. We worked it so he’d be the guy to start at home.”

It was unexpected reward for the 36-year-old.

“I knew I’d be one of the starters for us and that was enough for me,” Dickey said. “But this is humbling, especially since I know they moved some things around to make it happen. I don’t know if I feel unworthy of it, but golly, that’s a real honor.”

The Mets aren’t simply giving Dickey the start just to be nice. It’s also a sign that they have higher expectations for him than they did last season.

With Johan Santana out, Dickey came into this season as the team’s No. 3 starter, behind Mike Pelfrey and Jon Niese. But after two straight awful performances by Pelfrey and Niese the past two games — as well as the fact that a suspect bullpen has been taxed and is already begun to spring leaks — today’s start carries even more importance.

“I’m thankful for the chance, but part of me has always felt capable of doing something like I did last year,” Dickey said of his 11-9 showing with a 2.84 ERA. “I didn’t know if it was going to come as a starter or a reliever, but I hoped it would come.”